| Here it is-our second issue of Cuba Absolutely. This is, above all, a collaborative effort, and I am immensely grateful to everyone who has contributed to the wonderful articles and photography which have made this issue possible. Whether they are world-renowned photographers, business experts, intellectuals, travel writers or simply Cuban aficionados, their involvement and passion for Cuba resonates strongly throughout. Some thought we might struggle for content in our second edition. How many new pieces were there to write about a tropical island of 11 million people? A lot, it appears. Not only did our original draft stretch to over 300 pages, but new stories keep coming. This is part of the particular magic of Cuba. Nothing comes standard. Cuban street food consists neither of kebabs nor hot dogs, but a weird and wonderful mix of what's-available creations. Cuban cars don't go in for a check-up every 4,000 miles but are patched together with whatever comes to hand. And when it comes to Cuban slang, it's perhaps best expressed by Humpty Dumpty in Alice in Wonderland: "When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean-neither more nor less." Cuba does have outstanding cigars, rum, cabaret and salsa dancers, but it also has a much more contemporary side which co-exists in a comfortable, albeit rather odd way, with the more traditional. Isabel Bustos' modern dance company Retazos enlivens Old Havana with intensely brilliant performances; a new generation of Cuban artists pushes artistic boundaries, and a uniquely Cuban style of contemporary fusion is adding a new dimension to the island´s music. All this against the background of a crumbling but proud and defiant Havana and a very beautiful and unspoilt countryside. In economic and business terms, these are interesting times for Cuba. Economic reforms are being discussed, a new phase for foreign investment has begun, and the US election of 2008 holds the promise of change to the little supported and much lamented US blockade with its trade limitations and travel restrictions. Cuba has been "discovered" so many times that by now it surely should have been found. We hope that this issue, in some small way, helps you to discover it for the first time, or anew. Cuba is different, and Absolutely worth it. |
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